Paper cutting apparatus



Dec. 1, 1936. w 5 AIKEN 2,062,737

PAPER CUTTING APPARATUS Filed NOV. 27, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet l eel/2r Q5:fi/w, 1/4267 6 ATTORNEYI Dec. 1, 1936. w M N 2,062,737

PAPER CUTTING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 27, 1935' 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR,

ATTORNEY.

Dec. 1, 1936. s N 2,062,737

PAPER CUTTING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 27, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOQh/kliar J. fizz/z,

ATTORNEY.

Dec. 1, 1936 w. s. AIKEN PAPER CUTTING APPARATUS Filed NovI 27, 19:55

A Sheets-Sheet 4 IN VENTOR, Wa/f/ar-ifiZe/ BY mad.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 1, 1936 UNITED s'rA ss PATENT-"T PAPER CUTTING nrrana'rosWalter S. Aiken, Lee, 'Mass., assignor to The Clark-Aiken Company, Lee.

tion of Massachusetts Application November 27, 1935, Sa Nanci-i f g 3Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for cutting a web orwebs of material, such as paper,into successive lengths to provideseparate sheets.

One object of the invention is the provision of a machine of the classdescribed which is characterized by a novel combination and arrangementof parts adapted and arranged for the emcient and accurate cutting of aweb of paper or the like into sheets of various lengths.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a machine of theclass described wherein the web to be cut is fed continuously throughthe machine in a certain level path or plane in which it is cut therebyto produce successive sheets at high speed in an efficient manner.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a machine whereincutting edges of coacting cutting members cut the web transversely on acertain. line which is adjustable in a plane substantially parallel tothe plane of the web for positioning at various angles relative to aline at right angles to the side edges of the web in order toaccommodate and compensate for the shear effect and travel of the webduring the cuttingoperation. In this way sheets having end or transverseedges at right angles to their side edges are produced and thisfacilitates the producing of sheets at high speed and which very closelyapproximate in length the finally trimmed sheets and avoids wastefultrimming heretofore necessary.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a machine whereinthe sheets may be cut to various predetermined lengths, the cuttingmeans being adapted for adjustment in speed relative to the means forfeeding the web to be cut.

A further object of the invention is the provision of meanswhereby theweb of material to be cut is moved or fed in an unwarped level plane tothe coacting cutting members, thereby facilitating such high speedoperation and accuracy of cutting as is desired in machines of the typeto which the invention relates) A still further object of the inventionis the provision'of a machine wherein one of a pair of relativelymovable cutting or shear members acts at a substantial angle on theother so that it is possible to obtain the desired shearing action whichin, combination withcertain self-sharpening features to be describedfacilitates efllciencv sheets cut from the web. 55

and speed in operationas well as accuracy in the Various and numerousothernovel objects and advantages of the of the invention willhereinafte'rmore fully appear in connection with the machine shown in.Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevational viewon the line 3-3ofFi .2;.

Fig. '4 is an end elevational view of thelefthand end of the machineshown in Figs. 1'and2;

Fig. 5 is a perspective viewof a portion of the paper-supporting plateto explainfcertain details of construction; j

Fig. 6 is a plan. view of the slide cylinder-which carries a cutterknife; I

Fig. 7 is a side'elevational'view shown in Fig. 6 V I v Fig. 8 is anenlarged'sectional elevational view on the line'88 of Fig. '7 at anenlarged scale;v and Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic" plan view. at a smallscale to explain certain features, of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings more in detail, the invention will be morefully explained.

of the cylinder Forward and rear frame members 2 and 4 are provided andthese'may rest on the floor or a foundation so as to be supportedthereby. The frames 2 and 4, may be connected by transverse 'memberssuch as 6 and 8, shown more clearly in web of paper or the like into,the machine.

The shaft l2 in the form ofthe inventionshown is the driving', shaft andbrackets ll; extend up- .wardly from the members l0. fI'hese' bracketsl6 "slidably' receive bearings l8'which are movedup and down py screws"vassociated withjca'ps 22.

I An upper roll 2.4,which maybe called afsqueeze roll,. constitutes theother Jone. of the pair of rolls for' 'feedirig the paper into themachine and this s. a shaft 26 which is .jpurnalle'df in the bea n s; Tl '2 m y, ave a, yieldable Covering" thereon so that 'ihcon tact withthe lower roll I4 it will in association with said roll accurately feeda web of material, such as paper, into the machine.

A pulley wheel 28 is also carried by the shaft I2 and this may be beltedto a suitable source of power whereby the machine is driven. Or, ifdesired, the shaft I2 may be connected as by a chain or other means tosome source of power or it may be directly connected or geared to amotor .shaft or the like.

A bracket 30 is slidably mounted on a flange part 32 of the forwardframe or bracket 2. The flange 32 is preferably inclined, as shown inFig. 1, so that the bracket 30 is adjustable as by sliding thereon in aplane which is in substantial parallelism with the plane or path of themovements of the paper as it travels from the rolls just described tothe cutting mechanism.

A bracket 34, similar to the bracket 30, is mounted on a flange 36 ofthe rear frame 4 and this is arranged for pivotal movements relativethereto. That is, a pivot member 38 is associated with the bracket 34 bypassing through a suitable opening in the flange 36 of frame 4. Thesebrackets 30 and 34 have journalled therein what may be called a flycylinder which carries a knife or shear and as the bracket 30 in theforward frame 2 is moved back and forth in the plane referred to thebracket 34 in the rear frame 4 is caused to swing on its pivot forpurposes which will later be described.

An adjusting screw 40 has a threaded end as shown in threaded engagementwith a nut 42 associated with flange 32. Collars 44 are provided onscrew 40 at either side of a part 46 of bracket 30 and these are adaptedto prevent longitudinal movements of the screw. A manually engageablepart, such as a hand wheel 48, is provided on the screw so that thescrew may be rotated and move the bracket 30 back and forth on theflange 32.

A lock bolt 60 is in threaded engagement with bracket 30 and this may bedisposed in a slot 52 of flange 32. The bolt 50 is arranged for clampingthe bracket 30 to the flange in any one of numerous positions ofadjustment thereon.

A bed bar 60 is disposed transversely of the machine and is arranged andadapted for supporting in'a rigid manner a relatively stationary shearor knife with which the shear or knife of the fly cylinder co-operatesfor the cutting or shearing action. On either end of this member 60there are blocks 62 which slide on finished surfaces or flanges 64 ofthe brackets 30 and 34. In the form of the invention shown, the flanges64 are inclined so that the said bar 60 may move towards and away fromthe axis of rotation of shaft I06 of the fly cylinder presently to bedescribed.

Means for moving the bed bar 60 back and forth relative to the brackets30 and 34 consist of screws I0 which have threaded portions I2 and 14.These screws have their threaded portion 1.12 in threaded engagementwith nuts I6 associated with brackets 78 which are afllxed to thebrackets 30 and 34. The other threaded portions I4 of the screws are inthreaded engagement with nuts 30 associated with plates 32 which areafflxed, as by screws or the like, to the parts 62.

Parts 64 on the outer end of the screws may carry indicia and the screwsI0 may be rotated in one direction or the other as by means of a toolinserted in recesses 36 associated with the parts 34. Pointers 36 arecarried by rings 90 which are supported by rods 32 and are clamped inlugs 94 associated with the brackets I3.

Since the adjusting mechanism just described is employed in connectionwith both the brackets 30 and 34, it will be seen that the bed bar 60may be adjusted at its opposite ends.

A stationary knife I00 having a forward cutting or shearing edge asshown in Fig. 8 is affixed to the bed bar 60. The fly cylinder I02,previously referred to, and shown in Figs. 2, 4, 6, 7 and 8 is generallytubular in form and has heads I04 at opposite ends in which are flxedtrunnions or shafts I06.

The shafts I06 are rotatable in bearings I08 associated with thebrackets 30 and 34 and the fly cylinder I02 has one or morelongitudinally extending portions IIO along the side or sides thereofwhich carry in their peripheral faces, longitudinally extending grooves.

These grooves or slots are angularly disposed relative to the plane ofthe axis of the cylinder, for a purpose which will presently appear, andtherein there is disposed a fly bar II2, a cross section of which isshown more clearly in Fig. 8. A plurality of spaced and externallythreaded hollow bolts II4 are in threaded engagement with bar H2 andwashers II6 are disposed between the inner ends of the members H4 andthe rear side of the fly bar 2.

Bolts H6 extend through the hollow bolts H4 and fly bar I I2 and theyare provided with heads I20 which may be countersunk in the forwardcutter knife may abut. In this way the cutter knife is more or lessreinforced for the cutting or shearing action. The lower end of thecutter knife is provided with a cutting edge as indicated in Fig. 8 andis arranged to co-operate with the cutting edge of the stationary knifeI00.

The cutter knife I30 may be secured to the fly bar H2 by means of screwsI36 which, as shown, are arranged therealong in spaced and preferablystaggered relation.

It is desired, according to the preferred form of the invention, thatone of the co-operating knives be made ofmaterial which is relativelysoft as compared with the other. For example, the knife I30 in the flycylinder may be made of cast iron while the stationary knife I00 may bemade from steel which is suitably heat treated. Thus in the operation ofthe machine, the knife I00 tends to maintain the cutting edge of knifeI30 in a sharpened condition at all times or, in other words, the knifeI30 may be said to be self sharpening.

It will be seen that by reason of this arrangement, there results agreater degree of efilciency in operation of the machine since it is notnecessary to stop for knife replacement or sharpening. Furthermore,where the knife I30 is of iron, as described, it is possible to obtain avery deslrable shearing action which is not possible where both theknives are of steel since in the latter case, the angularity of theknives with reference to the. planes of the axes of rotation of the flycylinder must be much less than may be employed in the construction withwhich this invention is concerned.

The arrangement described in connection with iii Fig. 1 whereby the bedbar 08 may be adjusted facilitates adjusting within extremely flnelimits so that the stationary knife or shear may be set in the desiredposition relative to the knife or cutter of the fly cylinder. Inoperation, the material beingcut, such as paper, is directed between theco-acting rolls I4 and'24 and onto the stationary knife I in such amanner that the material is properly supported in a flat unwarpedposition.

This is accomplished by means of a support or apron indicated generallyby I40 and consisting of a lower plate I42 and an upper plate I44. Thelower plate I42 is associated with the bed bar and stationary knife andthe upper plate I44 is associated with the bracket I0 so-that as bracket30 is moved the plate I42 is moved there-. with in relation to the upperplate I44.

To accomplish this, the lower plate I42 has its forward end secured to atransverse member I 40 which may be in the form of an angle. This angle(see Fig. 5) has blocks such as I08 in opposite ends thereof which haverelatively short studs I52. The-studs I92 are received in brackets I03provided on blocks 02 whereby the forwardend of thefbottom plate I42 issecured to the bed bar; 9

Ania'ngle I00 isfdisposed below the rear end of top plate I44gand it isspaced therefrom and from the under side of-the bed plate by a block I88which is of sufllcient size to allow plate I42 to slide between theplate I44 and the top of the angle I96. The bottomplate I42 is slottedas at I43 to permitrelative sliding movements of the plates.

Blocks 200 are provided in opposite ends of angle I06- and they carrystuds 202. Links such as'206'*are secured to. the studs 202 by nuts,such as 208, and are adiustably secured in slots II provided in bracketsI0 by means of bolts 2I0.

It will. be seen that the brackets slide on the forward'frame 2 and atthe same time the rear bracket 34 swings on the rear frame 4. Also, theplates I42 and I44 are movable relative to one another while at the sametime providing a support for the paper being delivered to the cuttingmechanism by the rolls.

The machine is, as stated, adapted for cutting the web into sheets ofvarious lengths and so the parts are accordingly adjustable for thepurpose of varying the length of the cuts. According to another feature,the web of paper may be delivered by the rolls at a constant and uniformspeed so that by changing or varying the speed of rotation of the flycylinder, the

length of sheets may be varied.

In the form of the invention shown, the shaft I2 or one of the coactingrolls is employed as the drive shaft for the machine and certain drivingconnections between this shaft and the fly cylinder are provided. Thisis so arranged that the speed of the fly cylinder may be varied relativeto the peripheral or lineal speed of the roll carried by theishaft I2.nism will be more fully hereinafter described.

It will be appreciated that the paper is delivered by the rolls acrossthe apron I40 at a certain lineal speed and that there is some intervalof time-elapsing while the angularly disposed knife or shear of the flycylinder engages the stationary knife from end to end. During thisinterval. of' time, the paper is. of course, being fed-forwardly by therolls. It is desired that the cutbeat right angles to the marginal edgesof the web.

This driving mecha- In reference to Fig. 9 a web of paper is representedby W and the paper is being fed to and through the co-acting knives inthe direction of the arrow shown. Because the rear bracket is pivotedand the forward bracket 30 is adjustable 5 back and forth, the cuttingedge of the'stationary knife I00 and the cutting line may be positionedat such an angular position with reference to the edges of the web as tocompensate for the travel of the web and angle of the knife on the flycylinder during the cutting operation. Numerous and various angularpositions such as indicated byA in Fig. 9 are possible and thereby it ispossible to at all times provide end cuts correctly related to the sideedges of the web and thereby produce substantially rectangular sheetshaving straight edges. Since the adjustment is made in a planecorresponding substantially to the plane of the paper the paper isallowed to travel in a flat unwarped path which makes for eiiiciency,speed and uniformity of results.

The driving mechanism will now be described. A driving gear 220 is fixedto shaft I2 and an arm 222 is swingable on said shaft. On the lower endof the arm 222 there is a hub 224 on which is rotatable, by means ofaball bearing assembly 226, a gear 220 in mesh with-the gear 220.

A bracket 230 has a slot 282 therein and the bracket is held againstlugs 224 of frame 4 by means of belts or the like 220. A nut 228 isslidable along the slot 232 of bracket 230 and this receives thethreaded end of a clamp bolt 240.

The arm 222 may swing back and forth and carry gear 228 about the gear220 and is secured to the bracket in various positions of adjustment bymeans of bolt 240 and nut 238.

A rod 242 has a threaded inner end in engagement with arm 222 and isrotatable in a bearing 244 which is mounted for swinging movements, asby a stud 246, extending into frame 4. A manually engageable member suchas a hand wheel 248 may be carried by the outer end of rod 242 forrotating the same and in this way the arm 222 may be moved back andforth.

A lower transverse shaft 250 is mounted for rotation in bearings 252which are carried on brackets 254 and 256 associated with the crossmember 8 and the rear side frame 4. A gear 258 is provided on the end ofshaft 250 and this is in mesh with gear 228.

Gear 258 is what may be called a change gear and it, as well as othergears of different diameters, may be carried by shaft 200 so that thetransverse shaft 250 is driven at various speeds relative to shaft I2.The shaft 250 drives mechanism to be described whereby, by changing thegear 208, it is possible to drive the cylinder I02 at various speedsrelative to shaft I2.

An upper shaft 200 is joumalled in; bearings 262 associated withtransverse rail 8 and side frame 4. A cone pulley 204 affixed to shaft200, and a cone pulley 206', which is afllxed to shaft 250, areconnected by an endless belt 268.

With this arrangement, as the belt 268 is moved back and forth from endto end of the pulleys, the relative speeds of shaft 250 and 260 may bevaried so that the speed of the fly'cylinder may be controlled andvaried within the desired fine limits. In this way is brought about themost emcient and accurate cutting operation.

A transverse adjusting shaft 210 is journalled for rotation in the frameand this may have a manually engageabl'e part, such as a hand wheel 212on its outer end. A pulley arm 2" receives a threaded part of the shaft210, as shown.

. The arm member 214 carries a flanged pulley 2". 'llhat is to say, theshaft 210 is rotated in one direction or the other and theinember 214 ismoved thereby in either one direction or the other so that the flangedpulley will shift the belt back and forth relative to the cone pulleys.A gear 218, which is aflixed to shaft 260, is in mesh with a gear 218,which in turn may be amxed to the shaft I06 of the fly cylinder I02.

From the foregoing, it will be observed that the fly cylinder may berotated at some desired predetermined speed relative to the speed of therolls 24 and Il and consequently relative to the lineal speed of thepaper being fed forwardly by the rolls. Thus, by means of the conepulley, it is possible to obtain very accurate adjustment of therelative speeds to thereby facilitate the making of successive cuts andprovide successive sheets of predetermined lengths which may vary inlength between wide limits.

It will also be observed that the co-operating cutter, cutting knives orshear knives are arranged for the most efficient operation in that oneknife is self-sharpening, so-called, to elimiate the necessity ofstopping the mchine for the purpose of conditioning the knife. Also, byreason of the particular nature of the knives and their operativefunctions, the shearing action may be substantial which is desired inmachines of this kind both from the standpoint of emciency, productionand speed of operation.

While I have described the invention in great detail and with respect toa preferred form thereof, it is not desired to be limited thereto sincemany changes and modifications may be made therein without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention. What it is desired to claimand secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A machine for cutting a continuously moving web transversely intosuccessive sheets comprising in combination, a support, a pair ofcooperating feed rolls for feeding a web, an adjustable cutting unithaving one side pivoted to 5 said support and its other side slidablethereon for movements in a certain plane, a stationary member and arelatively rotatable member on the cutting unit, co-operating cutting"elements on said members for cutting a web on a certain transverseline, and supporting means extending from said cutting line to saidrolls for supporting a web parallel to said certain plane from saidcutting line to said rolls whereby a web is supported in a flat levelplane betvflaen said rolls and cutting elements.

2. A machine for cutting a continuously moving web transversely intosuccessive sheets comprising in combination, a support, a pair ofco-operating feed rolls for feeding a web. an

adjustable cutting unit having one side piv-' oted to said support andits other side slidable thereon for movements in a certain plane, astationary member and a relatively rotatable member on the cutting unit,co-operating-cutting elements on said members for cutting a web on acertain transverse line, and supporting means extending from saidcutting line to said rolls for supporting a web parallel to said certainplane from said cutting line to said rolls whereby a web is supported ina flat level plane between said rolls and cutting elements, the saidsupporting means including relatively slidable members secured to saidstationary member and to said support adjacent said rolls.

3. A machine for cutting a continuously moving web transversely intosuccessive sheets comprising in combination, a pair of co-operatingrolls for feeding a web forwardly from the bite thereof in a flat plane,cutting mechanism having relatively movable members provided withco-operating cutting members for cutting a web along a cutting line,means for moving said cutting mechanism in parallelism with said flatplane into various positions of adjustment whereby the cutting line maybe positioned at various angles relative to a line at right angles tothe marginal edges of a web fed from the bite of said rolls, andsupporting means for a web between said rolls and cutting members havingrelatively movable members movable as said cutting mechanism is moved.

WALTER S. AIKEN.

